RISHI Sunak faces a major test of his premiership reset today as voters take to the polls in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth.
Tories are bracing for crushing blows in the two crunch by-elections, with polls suggesting mega swings towards Labour.
Andrew Cooper, the Conservative candidate in Tamworth, is defending a 19,636 majority won by Chris Pincher who was kicked out of the Commons following a groping scandal.
Meanwhile, local Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye will try to cling on to Mid-Bedfordshire, where former minister Nadine Dorries had a 24,000 majority.
After a final weekend of campaigning, even the PM's most loyal backers have branded both seats "tough" and "dire".
Ahead of potential historic victories for his party, Sir Keir Starmer said this morning: "Polls are now open in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire.
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"Today, vote for change. Vote to get Britain’s future back.
"Vote Labour."
As polling booths opened the PM touched down in Israel where he will meet Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the war against Hamas.
Last night Mr Sunak refused to condemn his Tamworth candidate, Mr Cooper, for suggesting out-of-work parents who cannot afford to feed kids should “f*** off”.
The wannabe MP has been slammed for posting a “foul-mouthed” diagram on Facebook.
It suggested those who are out of work, pay for "TV Sky/BT/etc", or "have a phone contract + £30" should "f*** off" rather than seek help.
Labour's candidate in Mid Beds was similarly slammed after The Sun unmasked him as a Greenpeace zealot.
Alistair Strathern, 33, posed as a zombie for an eco stunt.
Mr Strathern’s partner Megan Corton-Scott works as a political officer for Greenpeace.
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The couple dressed as zombies outside the Home Office for one of the group’s stunts last November.
Mr Strathern was also pictured outside Parliament protesting against laws clamping down on Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion disruption.
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